LAHORE: A longstanding dispute between Lahore Development Authority (LDA) and the Pakistan Blind Cricket Council (PBCC) appears to have been resolved after LDA agreed to allot land for the construction of a stadium instead of Ferozepur.

“We have identified a piece of land for building a stadium specifically for blind cricketers,” Nabeel Javed, director general of LDA, said on Wednesday. “We will take every measure to address the grievances of PBCC in this regard.”

Nabeel said LDA will offer suitable piece of land to the PBCC for the construction of blind cricket stadium which would uplift blind cricket in the province and to end the dispute in an amicable way.

“We are equally supplementing the ongoing efforts of the Punjab government to provide playgrounds for the youth. Providing a cricket stadium for visually impaired cricketers is a part of our plan to create facilities for the physically handicapped sportspeople,” he added.

PBCC chairman Syed Sultan Shah said the dispute with the LDA arose after the latter stopped the construction of the stadium on its proposed site at Ferozepur Road on the grounds that the land was part of the LDA city.

“Way back in 2004 we were allocated a piece of land on lease by the Punjab government for the construction of cricket stadium along with a hostel to provide start-of-the-art facilities for blind cricketers and to have daily practice at a place where all facilities are available under one roof,” he remarked.

Shah said on the direction of the provincial government, the Sports Board Punjab undertook the project of building a stadium at the proposed site at Ferozepur Road but just as the construction work started some weeks back the LDA stopped it on the pretext that the land falls in the master plan of LDA city.

Published in Dawn, May 26th, 2016